Trump, Xi meeting in South Korea yields tariff cuts and new trade agreements
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While President Donald Trump spent the week in Asia meeting with other global leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, his administration has stepped up attacks on drug boats in Latin America.
Trump met with Xi in South Korea on Thursday, where the two signed a series of trade-related agreements. Specifically, Trump said he agreed to reduce tariffs on Chinese imports by 10 percent, reducing the rate from 57 percent to 47 percent, because he said China would cooperate with the United States in finding a solution to the fentanyl crisis.
Additionally, Trump said he will not move forward with imposing 100 percent additional tariffs on Chinese goods, which are expected to start on Saturday. Trump threatened the steep increase after China announced in October that it would impose export controls on rare earth magnets and said China had agreed to delay it for a year.
Afterwards, Trump described the meeting as a great success and signaled that a broader trade agreement between the two countries would be signed shortly.
TRUMP AND XI MEET TO RESOLVE TRADE TENSIONS CREATED BY US TARIFFS
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Busan, South Korea, on October 30, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
“I would say on a scale of zero to 10, 10 being the best, the meeting is a 12,” Trump told reporters after his meeting with Xi. he said. “Many decisions were made… and we came to a conclusion on many important points.”
From China’s perspective, Xi later said the two countries should work together and complete the tasks highlighted from the summit for the “internal peace” of China, the United States and the rest of the world.
“Both sides should consider the long-term perspective by focusing on the benefits of cooperation rather than falling into a vicious cycle of mutual retaliation,” Xi said, according to a state media report about the meeting. he said.
TRUMP ANNOUNCED THAT HE WILL MEET WITH XI JINPING AT THE SOUTH KOREA APEC SUMMIT PLANNED FOR NEXT MONTH
In addition, Trump announced during his Asia trip, which included stops in Malaysia and Japan, that he would order the United States to revive nuclear weapons testing; This upended decades of precedent in nuclear policy, as the United States had not tested a nuclear weapon since 1992. The announcement also left lawmakers, experts and military personnel wondering what he meant since no other country had conducted a known nuclear test since North Korea in 2017.
The last known tests by China and Russia date back to the 1990s, when Russia was still the Soviet Union.
A mushroom cloud rises from nuclear weapons testing during Operation Tumbler-Snapper. More than two thousand sailors witnessed the event, which was held at the Nevada Proving Ground in 1952. (Getty Images)
The White House did not comment to Fox News Digital. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment.
TRUMP CLAIMS ASIAN TOUR HAS GIVEN US ‘TRILLIONS’ AHEAD OF CRITICAL MEETING WITH CHINA’S XI
But experts agree that Trump will likely order the United States to increase testing of nuclear-powered weapon systems or conduct low-yield nuclear weapons tests.
Vice President J.D. Vance told reporters Thursday that Trump will continue to work on nuclear proliferation but that tests will be conducted to ensure the weapons are operating at optimum capacity.
“Making sure that this nuclear arsenal that we have is actually functioning properly is an important part of American national security,” Vance said. “And that’s part of the testing regime. To be clear, we know it’s working properly, but you’ve got to keep it under control over time. And the president wants to make sure we do that with his nation.”
TRUMP THREATENS ‘HIGH’ TARIFFS TO CHINA, SEES ‘NO JUSTIFICATION’ TO MEET WITH XI
The Trump administration has also stepped up its campaign against drug cartels in Latin America, with at least 14 attacks against alleged drug vessels in the region.
President Donald Trump announced on October 14, 2025 that the United States killed six people allegedly involved in drug trafficking on a boat in international waters near Venezuela. (realDonaldTrump/Real Social)
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that the United States had launched three attacks on four ships in the Eastern Pacific, and Hegseth announced another attack in those waters on Wednesday.
However, the White House on Friday denied reports that the Trump administration had identified military targets in Venezuela and was ready to strike them soon. Trump later told reporters he had not decided whether to launch an attack in Venezuela.
Lawmakers, including some Republicans, pressed for greater response to the strikes and questioned whether the strikes were legal. For example, Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Tim Kaine, D-Va. and Rand Paul, R-Ky., spearheaded a war powers resolution that would prohibit U.S. armed forces from engaging in “hostilities” against Venezuela.
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“The Trump administration has made clear that they may initiate military action within the borders of Venezuela and will not be limited to boat attacks in the Caribbean,” Schiff said in a statement on October 17. he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
